S.African miners turn to trucks as rail declines

While the Taliban have said only that female students must observe hijab, without giving more details, women dressed in black robes at a pro-Taliban rally in Kabul September 11 raised fears that the Islamist group will reintroduce mandatory wearing of head-to-toe garments. This week we spoke to two Afghan women who told us more about the Taliban's dress code – and the women who are fighting against it in the streets and online with the hashtag #DoNotTouchMyClothes.

Farmer unions in India staged a huge protest to pressure the government into withdrawing its controversial reforms.The protests have been ongoing for 10 months, and joined by several opposition parties.

An electrified highway, with infrastructure similar to that used in a tram, is being billed as one of the solutions to reduce the heavy toll of carbon emissions linked to long-haul transport. Electronic giant Siemens has already built the technology on several stretches of German highways, enabling trucks to charge their batteries while they drive. The Down to Earth team went to see how it works.

Leaders from the Southern African Development Community said on Wednesday they were extending a troop deployment in Mozambique to help the government fight an Islamic State-linked insurgency.

The Federal Government has blamed delays in completing some major projects, including railways, on the paucity of funds. Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, in this exclusive with Guardian TV spoke on the delay in the execution and completion of all railway projects. He also gave insight into the kind of leader he would want to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023 as well as the reasons for the increasing insecurity in the South-South.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged to help the victims of devastating east coast floods on Wednesday, as the death toll rose to 259 from heavy rains that washed out roads and disrupted shipping in one of Africa's busiest ports.

Mining companies in South Africa have resorted to trucking coal to ports to meet a surge in European demand since the war in Ukraine started, bypassing the deteriorating rail infrastructure they blame for billions of dollars in lost revenue.

The families of eight missing miners in Burkina Faso desperately awaited news from rescue teams on Thursday as efforts continued to locate the men who have been stuck underground for 26 days. There has been no communication with the miners since they were trapped more than 500 metres (1,640 ft) below ground during a flood at Canada-based Trevali Mining Corp's Perkoa zinc mine on April 16.

The German company said it has sealed the biggest order in its history to build the world's sixth-largest rail network. Tracks will connect cities along the Nile with the Red and Mediterranean seas.

With fuel price inflation causing such alarm in South Africa that the government and central bank have been taking action to soften the impact on consumers, Fezile Dhlamini proposes an alternative solution.

Britain's biggest rail strike in decades has brought parts of the country to a standstill. Workers are walking out in protest at below-inflation pay rises as the cost-of-living spirals upwards.

Much of the UK has been crippled by the largest rail strike in decades. Some 40,000 workers participated in Tuesday's walkout, calling for higher wages to deal with the spiraling cost of living. Experts say the disruptions will weigh on economic growth. Also in the show: EasyJet is on the frontline of the aviation industry's staff shortages, and businesses in Las Vegas will continue performing Elvis-themed weddings, after reaching a deal with the late singer's estate.